Police identify suspected shooter in Charlie Kirk assassination

The man accused successful nan Charlie Kirk assassination had earlier expressed to family his guidance to nan viewpoints of nan blimpish activist, authorities said connected Friday.

The news came while announcing an apprehension successful nan targeted killing, which raised caller alarms astir governmental unit successful nan United States.

Tyler Robinson, 22, had go "more political" successful nan run-up to nan shooting and had indicated to a family friend afterwards that he was responsible, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said.

He besides cited arsenic cardinal pieces of evidence, including engravings connected bullets recovered successful a firearm believed to person been utilized successful nan attack, arsenic good arsenic chatting app messages attributed to nan accused shooter that a roommate shared pinch rule enforcement aft nan shooting.

Cox, a Republican, called Kirk's sidesplitting an "attack connected nan American experiment," and he urged a caller procreation to "choose a different path."

Robinson is believed to person acted alone, and nan investigation is ongoing, Cox said.

Robinson's apprehension early connected Friday greeting (late connected Friday nighttime AEST) was first disclosed by US President Donald Trump, who said successful a Fox News question and reply that, "With a precocious grade of certainty, we person him."

Cox echoed nan president's comments, starting disconnected nan property convention by announcing: "We sewage him".

"On nan evening of September 11, a family personnel of Tyler Robinson reached retired to a family friend who contacted nan Washington County Sheriff's Office pinch accusation that Robinson had confessed to them aliases implied that he had committed nan incident," he said.

A curate who is besides progressive pinch rule enforcement turned successful nan fishy to authorities, pinch his family besides involved.

“Somebody that was very adjacent to him said, ‘Hmm, that’s him,’” Trump said.

The personification is still being questioned arsenic of Friday morning, nan sources told CNN.

Two of nan sources said that nan man confessed to his begetter that he was nan shooter. His begetter told authorities and said he had secured his boy until he could beryllium formally detained.

Asked astir what will hap to nan suspect, Trump said he hoped nan personification would beryllium recovered guilty.

Later successful nan interview, Trump added that Cox has signaled he'd activity nan decease punishment for Kirk's shooter.

"In Utah, they person nan decease penalty, and you person a very bully politician there," Trump said.

"The governor, I've gotten to cognize him, nan politician is very intent connected nan decease punishment successful this case."

Pressed if Kirk's shooting was a "one-off", isolated case, Trump said it "appears to be."

The president besides said he hadn't watched video of Kirk's decease aft respective clips of Kirk's shooting connected nan Utah Valley University field were posted connected societal media.

"I didn't want to watch, I heard astir it," Trump said.

"I would person ne'er made a bully doctor, fto maine put it that way. I mean, I heard capable – I didn't want to watch it, I didn't want to retrieve Charlie that way."

Federal investigators and authorities officials connected Thursday had released photos and a video of nan personification they judge is responsible.

Kirk was changeable arsenic he said to a crowd gathered successful a courtyard astatine Utah Valley University successful Orem.

More than 7000 leads and tips had poured in, officials said.

Authorities person yet to publically sanction nan fishy aliases mention a motive successful nan killing, nan latest enactment of governmental unit to convulse nan United States.

The attack, carried retired successful wide daylight arsenic Kirk said astir societal issues, was captured connected grisly videos that dispersed connected societal media.

The videos show Kirk, a adjacent state of Trump who played an influential domiciled successful rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone erstwhile abruptly a changeable rings out.

Kirk reaches up pinch his correct manus arsenic humor gushes from nan near broadside of his neck.

Stunned spectators gasp and shriek earlier group commencement moving away.

The shooter, who investigators judge blended into nan field crowd because of a college-age appearance, fired 1 changeable from nan rooftop, according to authorities.

Video released showed nan personification past stepping done nan writer and crossed nan thoroughfare earlier disappearing.

“I tin show you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, nan apical FBI supplier successful Salt Lake City.

Trump, who was joined by Democrats successful condemning nan violence, said he would grant Kirk nan Presidential Medal of Freedom, nan highest civilian honour successful nan US Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited pinch Kirk's family connected Thursday successful Salt Lake City.

Vance posted a remembrance connected X chronicling their friendship, making love backmost to first messages successful 2017, done Vance’s Senate tally and nan 2024 election.

“So overmuch of nan occurrence we’ve had successful this management traces straight to Charlie’s expertise to organise and convene,” Vance wrote.

“He didn’t conscionable thief america triumph successful 2024, he helped america unit nan full government.”

Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, wherever his nonprofit governmental younker organization, Turning Point USA, is based.

Trump told reporters he plans to be Kirk's funeral. Details person not yet been announced.

Kirk was taking questions astir weapon violence

Kirk was a blimpish provocateur who became a powerful governmental unit among young Republicans and was a fixture connected assemblage campuses, wherever he invited sometimes-vehement statement connected societal issues.

One specified provocative speech played retired instantly earlier nan shooting arsenic Kirk was taking questions from an assemblage personnel astir weapon violence.

The statement hosted by Turning Point astatine nan Sorensen Centre connected field was billed arsenic nan first extremity connected Kirk's “American Comeback Tour".

The arena generated a polarising field reaction.

An online petition calling for assemblage administrators to barroom Kirk from appearing received astir 1000 signatures.

The assemblage issued a connection past week citing First Amendment authorities and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intelligence enquiry and constructive dialogue".

Last week, Kirk posted connected X images of news clips showing his sojourn was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going connected successful Utah?”

Attendees barricaded themselves successful classrooms

Some attendees who bolted aft nan gunshot rushed into 2 classrooms afloat of students.

They utilized tables to barricade nan doorway and to shield themselves successful nan corners.

Someone grabbed an electrical pencil sharpener and wrapped nan cord tightly astir nan doorway handle, past tied nan sharpener to a chair leg.

On field Thursday, nan canopy stamped pinch nan motto Kirk commonly utilized astatine his events — “PROVE ME WRONG” — stood, dishevelled.

Kathleen Murphy, a longtime resident who lives adjacent nan campus, said she has been staying wrong pinch her doorway locked.

“With nan shooter not being caught yet, it was a worry,” Murphy said.

Meanwhile, nan shooting continued to tie swift bipartisan condemnation arsenic Democratic officials joined Trump and different Republican friends of Kirk successful decrying nan attack, which unfolded during a spike of governmental unit that has touched a scope of ideologies and representatives of some awesome governmental parties.